By Karla Davis
EDITOR’S NOTE: All pictures in this article are by Karla Davis unless otherwise marked.
Yippie! On Friday September 29th, Manhattan Center held its first senior event of the year! Dress for Success, along with many other special seniors-only activities, is a big thing in the “MCSM culture.” I remember during my junior year watching the senior class of 2017 crowd up the cafeteria to take photographs of one another. From that day on I saw something unique and special start to happen. It was something that I had not really seen before in a school composed of over one thousand students—I saw unity. Gazing at last year’s graduating class as a collective whole, I could suddenly see who the seniors of Class ’17 really were.
Now this is happening to me ( or to us, should I say…)! I am a senior, and to partake in group events like this means a lot to me because it makes it official that we seniors are in our last year of high school. It also shakes us by telling us that graduation is right around the corner, and that some of us will soon be going to college.
To investigate the reactions my fellow classmates had to Dress for Success, I took time to go around and take pictures of a few very fashionable seniors while interviewing them about their clothing choices, how long it took them to pick the outfit, and much more! Here’s what the Class of 2018 had to say:
Ruth’s navy tunic and elegant flats.
Q: Three words to describe your outfit.
Ruth (above): “Laidback, professional, chic.”
Q: How does participating in this event make you feel?
Ruth: “Participating in this event made me feel like I was really a senior and that I was becoming an adult. This made me scared… but also enthusiastic about my future.”
Q: Tell me about your fashion choice.
Ruth: “My outfit was last minute, but felt like it was comfortable to wear to school. Also, it was [stylish] enough for people to know that I was participating in Dress for Success. It consisted of a navy blue button down shirt, slacks, and flat shoes.”
Jeshua goes pro in blue, instead of a predictable black and white combo.
Q: Three words to describe your outfit.
Jeshua (above): “It-was-great!”
Q: Can you tell me about your look?
Jeshua: “This is usually the type of outfit I wear while working at my office. I feel comfortable and professional, but I am still able to [use color or a pattern to convey] a modern feel, rather than just sticking to a black and white suit.”
Q: Did you look forward to this event, and why?
Jeshua: “Yeah, I did. Thinking about what success is in the form of an outfit was something we all had to think about as the day approached.”
Kimberly wears an executive-level skirt and stripes.
Q: Three words to describe your outfit?
Kimberly M. (above): “A-maz-ing”
Q: Tell me about what you are wearing.
Kimberly M.: “I wanted to keep a simple look, but I also wanted it to ‘pop out,’ that’s why I wore stripes.”
Q: How long did it take you to come up with this outfit?
Kimberly M.: “It took me an hour and a half to put the look together”.
Q: Did you look forward to this event, and why?
Kimberly M.: “Yes, I did. I wanted a day [during which] to look professional.”
Sanjana changed her hair for a sleek businesslike look.
Q: Three words to describe your outfit.
Sanjana (above): “Basic, sleek, and comfortable.”
Q: Tell me about your choice of clothing.
Sanjana: “I wore a white shirt that had a very small polka dot print, with black loose pants over black, block-heel sandals. I also straightened my curly hair and swiped on pink lipstick.”
Q: How does participating in this event make you feel?
Sanjana: “Participating in this spirit day made me feel like a part of the class 2018. I finally felt like a senior, because it was a special day for seniors only. It felt nice to see the whole class dressed up and having a good time.”
Q: Did you look forward to this event, and why?
Sanjana: “I was looking forward to Senior Dress for Success day because I could be another person when putting on professional clothes. A lot of people didn’t recognize me at first because I straightened my hair and was wearing makeup; these are things that I don’t do on a regular basis.”
Gemai can easily go from work to an evening out in these capri pants with high-heeled sandals.
(Picture of Gemai by: Abisola)
Q: How long did it take you to come up with this outfit?
Gemai (above): “It took me one day to think about my outfit. I only had to look for the shirt.My heels and pants were already planned ahead of time.”
Q: Did you look forward to the event?
Gemai: “I did look forward to the event. It was a day to see everyone dress differently from their usual selves. Personally, I am a casual person, and on any given day you will find me wearing sneakers; so, wearing heels to school was definitely cool.”
Q: What advice would you give next year’s seniors about this day?
Gemai: “One tip I would give next year’s seniors is to be prepared for a lot of pictures! Also, dress how you feel! I chose to wear a shirt that reflected my character, while still looking business casual.”
Flowing sleeves are enhanced by rich stripes of color.
Q: Did you look forward to this event?
Satabdi (above): “I did look forward to this event because I couldn’t wait to dress up in a way I never really had. I was also excited to see all the other MCSM seniors dress up.”
Q: How long did it take you to come up with this look?
Satabdi: “I came up with this outfit last minute. My friends helped me choose which shirt to wear.”
Q: What tip would you give to next year’s seniors about this day?
Satabdi: “I would tell next year’s seniors to bring heels with them, and not wear them the whole day, because it is going to hurt, trust me!”
Karla exudes authority in a slate-colored pants suit.
Q: Three words to describe my outfit.
Karla (that’s me! ;above): “Minimal, casual, comfortable.”
Q: How long did it take you to decide on this combination?
Karla: “This was very last minute. I literally ‘composed’ this outfit the day before Dress for Success day.”
Q: Did you look forward to this event, and why?
Karla: “Definitely, I wanted to see all of the creative outfits that my peers would put together for the day. I was also interested in seeing all of our different interpretations of “dressing for success.’ ”
Q: What tips would you give next year’s seniors about this day?
Karla: “Don’t overthink it! I purposely put my ideas of an outfit for Dress for Success on hold until the day before. I wanted to feel comfortable and confident in whatever it was that I wore. I didn’t want other people’s ideas and opinions to influence what I would or wouldn’t wear. And because of this, I can truly say that this day was one of the best (“most fun”) days I have had in a long time. Also, although I didn’t personally wear heels, I would have warned those who planned on wearing heels to bring an extra pair of flats or sneakers. I heard a lot of people complaining that their feet hurt, and that they got bruises because of wearing the heels all day!”